Summary
- Crafting a perfect atmosphere is crucial in creating effective horror games that scare players.
- Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Anatomy, and Resident Evil 7 exemplify creating terrifying atmospheres.
- Outlast, Soma, Alien: Isolation, and Silent Hill 2 rely on atmosphere to unsettle players.
Horror games come in all shapes, sizes, and genres, from the more combat-oriented action-horror shooters to the indie jumpscare fests that boosted YouTubers into fame. But what makes horror games more frightening than anything else is the right atmosphere.
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From the torture of Doki Doki Literature Club to the eerieness of Resident Evil and Silent Hill, here are the scariest horror video games of all time.
Crafting a perfect atmosphere is one of the key ingredients needed when creating an effective horror game that is sure to scare the players witless. Eerie ambience, dilapidated buildings, and a fear of what may lie ahead all help to create the perfect atmosphere, which may work more effectively at scaring players than any jumpscare.
1 Amnesia: The Dark Descent
The Stately Castle Brennenberg Is A Tense Location To Explore
Amnesia The Dark Descent
- Released
- September 9, 2010
WHERE TO PLAY
From the minds of Frictional Games, who had previously worked on the Penumbra series, came Amnesia: The Dark Descent. It quickly became one of the most successful indie games of all time thanks to certain online personalities drawing attention to it.
Player character Daniel awakens in a castle with very few memories left, and recovers them the more he explores the castle and reads notes he left scattered around. All the while, a phenomenon he refers to as the shadow grows, and monsters lurk in every shadow. Only by the feeble light of candles or a gas lantern can players illuminate their surroundings, but even with the light, Amnesia remains an experience fraught with tension. Monsters are never far, and with no means to defend themselves, players need to hide and hope they go unnoticed.
2 Darkwood
A Survival Horror Game With An Oppressive Atmosphere
Darkwood
- Released
- August 18, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
One might never expect a top-down survival game to be atmospheric, but Darkwood manages to achieve just that. A mysterious forest appears and engulfs a large portion of the land, and it shows no signs of stopping, continuing to spread. Those trapped within the forest fall to the ravages of a plague that transforms them into monsters. Those who have not transformed are seeking escape, such as the character the player controls.
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These survival games trust players to work things out for themselves and let them explore at their own pace.
Survival hinges on surviving encounters with the dangerous forest denizens; they also need to scavenge supplies and fortify shelters before night falls, which brings with it terrifying threats. All throughout the game, there is an atmosphere that is nothing short of oppressive.
3 Anatomy
No Physical Threats, Just Atmosphere
Anatomy
OpenCritic Reviews
- Released
- 2016
Designed by Kitty Horrorshow, Anatomy might just be the most unique indie horror game to have ever graced the scene. The concept seems rather simple, but it is masterfully executed. As a nameless, silent protagonist, the player explores what seems to be an abandoned suburban house, listening to scattered videotapes that compare the different rooms of the house to parts of the human anatomy.
But that isn't all. The more the player explores this dark and empty house, the more things morph and change. The house degrades the more the player progresses, and thus the atmosphere deepens until it is almost unbearable. Though there are no physical threats to contend with, the atmosphere gives the player plenty of scares.
4 Resident Evil 7
The Atmosphere Of The Baker Mansion Is Unparalleled
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- Released
- January 24, 2017
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, In-Game Purchases
- Developer(s)
- Capcom
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror, Psychological Horror, First-Person
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, PC, iOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
The seventh installment in the Resident Evil franchise introduced Ethan Winters, who travels to Dulvey in Louisiana in search of his wife Mia, reported missing three years ago. Finding a decrepit old family estate near the backwaters, he soon runs afoul of the house's residents: the Baker family, the ones responsible for Mia's long absence. They welcome him into the family with the world's worst dinner party, and then Ethan decides he must make his escape.
Resident Evil 7 was a much-celebrated game by fans, as it marked a return to their horror roots. The Baker estate is surely drenched in atmosphere, especially when players know Jack Baker is prowling around armed and dangerous, mockingly calling his name. The switch to first-person makes this even more tense, as players then have to actively look around corners, and might find themselves face-to-face with the very person they are trying to avoid.
5 Outlast
The Absence Of Combat Places The Focus On Horror
Outlast
- Released
- November 4, 2013
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature // Intense Violence, Blood and Gore, Sexual Content, Nudity, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- Red Barrels
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, Linux, macOS
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
There isn't much a journalist wouldn't do to get their next big scoop, but snooping around an abandoned asylum might just be one of those things. This is exactly what journalist Miles Upsher does after receiving an anonymous tip about some dubious goings-on at Mount Massive Asylum, specifically inhumane experiments on the patients under their care. Armed with a gutsy attitude and a camcorder, Miles makes his way inside to behold and record the horrors himself.
Mount Massive Asylum is one of the scariest places players will ever step virtual foot inside, the dark hallways and scraps of visual storytelling instilling an atmosphere of dread. The fact that Miles can't fight back against the foes elevates this tension, as all he can do is try to stealth his way past them, and hope none of them take notice.
6 Soma
Even In Safe Mode, Players Can't Hide From The Existential Dread
SOMA
- Released
- September 15, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- t
- Developer(s)
- Frictional Games
- Genre(s)
- Horror
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
When offered to partake in an experimental brain scan shortly after being left with brain injuries due to a car crash, he finds his consciousness uploaded into a robot body in PATHOS-2, where he meets the helpful Catherine who might just hold answers to what has happened, where he is, and the fate that has befallen Earth.
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Underwater is a frightening place for most people, and Soma makes this even more frightening to explore with monsters prowling around that players must avoid at all costs. But even wth the danger reduced in Safe Mode, these old locations and the poor souls they meet on the way help create this smothering atmosphere of dread and despair, and the ending only hammers home some pretty hard to swallow questions of what it truly means to be human.
7 Alien: Isolation
One Never Knows When The Xenomorph Will Appear
Alien: Isolation
- Released
- October 7, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
The Xenomorph has always been a fearsome creature, terrorizing movie-goers since the late 70s. There have been a fair share of Alien games since then, most only receiving middling reception from fans. And then came Isolation, which promised a true, visceral horror experience set in the Alien universe. And as luck would have it, it delivered.
Taking on the role of Ripley's daughter, Amanda, after the events of the first movie, Amanda boards the Sevastopol Space Station as she looks for answers as to what happened to Ripley Senior, and she comes face to face with the same creature her mother did. Exploring the sprawling station while trying to avoid the Xenomorph is one of the most tense and atmospheric experiences a player could ever hope for, as the Xenomorph is a terrifying foe that can hide out in vents and drop down on unsuspecting players.
8 Silent Hill 2
The Misty Streets Of Silent Hill Have Never Been More Eerie To Explore
Silent Hill 2
- Released
- September 25, 2001
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- Team Silent
- Genre(s)
- Survival Horror
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 2, Xbox (Original), PC
- OpenCritic Rating
- Mighty
Silent Hill was originally an idyllic vacation spot for the married couple James and Mary, until Mary was claimed by a disease. Three years later, James receives a letter beckoning him back to their special place, and James is all too eager to find her, even though he doesn't fully believe it is all really happening.
Venturing into the mist, James and the player quickly discover that Silent Hill is the last place anyone would ever choose as their holiday destination, as it is completely abandoned, all except for some terrifying monsters, including the iconic Pyramid Head. Every location is more frightening than the next, and accompanied by Akira Yamaoka's masterful soundtrack, the atmosphere is absolutely perfect for instilling horror.
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